Drink of the Month

Pumpkin Martini

Place graham cracker crust in a shallow dish. Coat rim of martini with honey and dip into graham cracker crumbs to coat. Combine milk & pumpkin puree in a cocktail shaker, shake to combine. Pour in vodka & crème de cacao then add ice. Shake well and strain into rimmed martini glass. Garnish with a sprinkle of pumpkin spice.

Available at Maxwell's, Library Café and Post Office Café.

Guy's Recipe of the Month

Shiitake Mushroom Tartlets with Apple Salad

Many hours of my childhood were spent in the woods collecting wild mushrooms. Cepes, or porcini, were the most challenging to find as you had to get to them before the insects did, and like me, they greatly appreciated them. Fresh shiitake mushrooms are widely available in American markets and can be used in place of cepes or porcini.

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer (such as a Kitchenaid) fitted with the paddle. Let the machine run at low speed until the dough is combined. Form the dough into a ball, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rest for at least one hour before rolling it out.

Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces, roll out each piece of dough to the size of the tartlet mold, and fit the dough into the molds. Freeze the tartlet shells for 2 hours, or until they are hard.

Put a piece of parchment paper into each tartlet shell, fill the shells with dried beans to weight them, and bake them in a preheated 350 F. for about 10 minutes, or until the edges start to turn light brown. Remove and discard the paper and dried beans. Continue to bake the tartlet shells for about 5 minutes, or until they are golden. Let the tartlet shells cool on a rack.

Heat a large frying pan over moderately high heat until it is hot, add the butter, and melt it. Add the garlic and shallots and cook them until they are colored. Add the mushrooms, season the mixture, and cook it for 2 to 3 minutes, tossing the mushrooms constantly. Add the parsley and thyme, transfer the mushroom mixture to a shallow dish, and let them cool.

In a large bowl combine the cream, eggs, Parmesan, nutmeg and salt and pepper and whisk the custard well until it is combined.

Divide the mushroom mixture among the tartlet shells and fill the shells with the custard. Bake the tartlets in a preheated 350 F. for about 10 minutes, or until the custard is set./p>

Remove the molds from the tartlets as they cool down. Arrange the mushroom tartlets on a large plate.

In a bowl combine the apple, mâche, and frisée, add the vinegar, walnut oil, and salt and pepper to taste, and toss the salad well. Top each tartlet with some of the salad and shave the Parmesan over it using a vegetable peeler. Garnish each tartlet with 2 caramelized pecans.